"Looks like the hydrogen tank burst; it is about empty according to our readings," Benny groaned. "So much for the nuke and the robot, the greens are going to have a conniption!"
Luigi shook his head as he stood. "All right people, according to our readings the ship has had a hard landing and is in minimum status. I want a radiation and full system check done now, then a hot wash. Get on it people."
He felt his shoulder's hunch as he tried not to look at the viewer gallery behind his back. After a moment he straightened his tie, took a deep breath then picked up his coat and put it on. "I'll be in the press room. Get me a report in five minutes." He waved to Benny who looked up waved him off then went back to the monitor.
"Okay, no radiation beyond background norm, got it." He jotted it down. "One good thing out of this mess," he muttered.
...*...*...*...*...
"So, it crashed?" the congressman asked as he sipped his bourbon. The lander crash had preempted just about every other news event.
"In a manner of speaking congressman yes. It landed, but one of the legs failed so it fell over," Luigi sighed, stirring his drink. He wasn't happy about this, having to fly out to the capital to deal with a different form of fall out.
"In other words it crashed. No leaks?" another congressman asked.
"Fuel and hydrogen feedstock only, the reactor scrammed."
The congressman looked confused. "Scrammed?"
Another smiled. "It locked down into safe mode Bert."
The congressman nodded. "Good to hear." He saluted Luigi with his drink. "You know we're going to catch flack right? Greenies will have a field day."
Luigi sighed. "Yes sir. She is a bent ship, and will never fly again. We'll have to accelerate the back up and get it out with the next flight."
Another congressman looked up concerned. "This going to take more funding right?"
Luigi shook his head. "Minimal, we have the bird built as a backup already. We just have to launch it during the window."
The congressman nodded. "Good, get on it. Our elections may ride on it."
Luigi nodded. "We'll do our best sir."
...*...*...*...*...
Nick sighed as he sat down. "I think we spend entirely too much time here." He murmured to Luigi. Now that the crash investigation had a preliminary finding the space program enemies were out sharpening their knives expecting heads to roll.
Luigi smiled. "Yeah, I was thinking about renting space." He unbuttoned his coat and sat down.
"Gentleman we have a short time slot and a lot to go over," Senator Grantham gaveled the session into order. "We are here about the asteroid, according to the latest report it is projected to pass less than five hundred miles away from the Earth two and a half years from now. I for one am a little nervous about that." He looked over to his colleagues. Several looked bored a few nodded.
"So we are here today to hear what plans the space program has detailed to deal with this threat," the Senator said and nodded to Luigi.
Luigi shuffled his papers and then turned his microphone on. "Good morning. The space program has spent fifty years writing various methods to deal with an asteroid threat. However only two are viable in the time we have available. Fortunately we have the components for both," he smiled.
"You’re talking about the Plasma engine and Topaz reactor?" Grantham asked.
Luigi nodded. "We have two back up units so we can put them together with a ferry package and have them in orbit within a year."
Senator Friday nodded. "And what is this going to cost?"
Luigi frowned. "Well senator, the components I mentioned are bought and paid for already. We are just looking at personnel cost to put the pieces together and to cobble together the docking module."
She sat back. "So we have them already?"
He nodded. "We can bump two Uragan flights and can have the birds ready within a one year time period. I am hoping to narrow that time frame, to give us more time to work with."
She nodded. "Why two? Isn't one enough?" she asked. Graham frowned.
"We need two for redundancy, in case one fails," Luigi explained.
She nodded. "Still it seems a waste," she grumbled. He sighed.
"Senator if I may," Luigi raised his hand. "This is not a one shot problem; even if it misses we will have to worry about this in twenty years time." He held up a paper. "This is the orbit of the asteroid. If and I do stress if it passes us, which is becoming highly unlikely, it will fall into an elliptical orbit. That means it will come back around for another pass twenty years later," he explained. Senator Graham grunted and waved his hand. An aid walked over and took the image from Luigi then handed it to the senator. He took a look then leaned over and shared it with the other senators.
"All right."
"Also senator, by dealing with this now we get the opportunity to test the equipment in case of another rock in the future."
Graham raised his hand. "I think you sold us already son, no need to overdo it."
Friday frowned ferociously. "You may be sold Bill, but I sure am not." She waved the picture. "Why won’t it just keep going out into deep space?"
Luigi tried to hide his sigh. "Senator, it doesn't have the speed to escape the gravity of the sun, it will move out then lose velocity and arch back inward. Take my word for it; it is a problem we will have to deal with.”
"So what if we blow it up?" she asked slapping the paper down.
"No ma'am, blowing it up only works in Hollywood. We need to divert it into a path that will never intersect the Earth again," he explained patiently, shaking his head. She nodded.
"And why not blow it up?"
Graham shook his head. "If I may, it is the difference between a big bullet and a shot gun spread. Same thing either way."
Luigi nodded. "Yes sir, ma'am. Some of the small debris would burn up, others could pass us by. But we would still have thousands of others rocks hundreds of meters long to impact."
The senator nodded. "Okay, we will take a vote in a few minutes. Why don't you take a recess while we discuss this?" He waved to the two men who nodded. He then tapped his gavel.
...*...*...*...*...
"How did you become a biogeochemist Doctor Han?" the reporter asked as she sat across from the small Chinese scientist. Both had their legs crossed. The reporter had a pad in her lap. She used her stylus to take short hand notes.
"I was child in village. People get sick." Han's brow knit. "Is poison?" She nodded. "We test soil. We find poison. Soil test interest me." She waved.
"And it snowballed from there?" the reporter asked, smiling politely.
Dr. Han looked confused. A translator leaned forward and murmured for her. "Oh, yes, it went from there." She nodded eagerly eyes suddenly bright. "Am very thankful for state education and opportunity to make history for my country and world." She nodded a bow.
The reporter and photographers smiled. "First to Mars, quite a feather in anyone's cap. Now, about your schooling..."
...*...*...*...*...
"Catch Han's interview?" Mario asked Benny as he sat on the desk corner, nibbling an apple.
"Nope, I have better things to do with my time," Benny sighed. "I think we have the aero capture problem licked, but Luigi wants to double check. We have to book another drop test." He waved.
"For aero capture? Need an orbital flight for that," Mario replied.
"No, the transition to the drop. Luigi wants to test the aero shell release once more, and refine the precision guidance so we can send a software update before they hit atmosphere," Benny explained.
Mario nodded. "Going to be a headache getting the flight time and landing clearances," he grumbled. After that MAV debacle they were having increased resistance, even when they used Edwards. Benny nodded.
"Can we do it at the arctic training facility?" Mario asked, studying his apple.
"Maybe... We wouldn't have any problems with people complaining about the sky is falling..."
Mario ch
uckled. "Don't count the greens out just yet; dropping the aero shell will have some nut complaining about littering."
Benny groaned. "You had to remind me!" Mario chuckled.
...*...*...*...*...
"I assure you mister ambassador no slight was intended. Doctor Mbeki failed the team training exercise. He can attempt it again or you can replace him at your discretion." Doctor Zubrin picked up his cup and took a sip of coffee.
"I do not understand why they must undergo military training to go!" the ambassador snarled and threw his hands up in the air.
"Sir, have you ever dealt with an emergency? An air leak? Medical emergency? Hull breach? Radiation?" Doctor Zubrin asked patiently.
The Ambassador shook his head. "My grandfather died of a heart attack, the remainder of my family died at the hands of rebels and soldiers alike."
Doctor Zubrin nodded. "You have my sympathies." He paused a moment.
"These people are going to one of the most inhospitable place man has gone too. They have to be able to get things right first time or they or their crew mates will die. They have to know they can rely on each other."
The American ambassador nodded taking up the thread. "Doctor Zubrin is attempting to explain that while the training course may seem petty or hard, it is designed to get the crew physically and mentally up to the challenge. I have spoken with the Instructor's and the former Master Chief in charge. They did everything they could to get Doctor Mbeki up to standard," he sighed. "They see it as a personal failure as well."
The ambassador sat back then smiled bright even teeth. "They do? I find that hard to believe."
Doctor Zubrin nodded. "Sir we, meaning, your country and our program have spent millions on each astronaut. Losing one like this is painful," he sighed and spread his hands. "However the cost would have been magnified if he had failed under pressure and gotten killed."
The ambassador nodded. "Yes that is a good point. I will take this to my government." The Ambassador rose and left.
"How do you think it will work out?" Doctor Zubrin asked the American Ambassador as he set his cup down.
"Honestly? They don't have many people that qualify, maybe three. Mbeki was the only one who was interested in going," The ambassador sighed and looked down to smooth his lapel. "They are one of only a few poor countries to get this far, we're getting flack from both sides over this. The liberals are complaining we are picking on the poor countries and should lower standards, the conservatives are saying we are going easy on them and we shouldn't be using American military training methods to teach them." He sat back. "I can agree with some of that, I'm not too happy about that part either."
Doctor Zubrin looked at him surprised. "You’re kidding me right?" he asked and then waved. "These techniques aren't new or secret; they are shown regularly on the military channel. Anyone with a satellite dish can get them," he said in disgust. "Besides, if they really wanted them they could just hire a couple mercenary trainers." He sat back.
The ambassador nodded thoughtful. "Yes, I never saw it from that perspective, thank you for pointing that out," he said dryly. He rose and shook hands with Doctor Zubrin. "I have another appointment. Mister North can show you out." He waved to the aid who nodded.
...*...*...*...*...
"What is this about the Treadwell’s?" Luigi grimaced.
"That nut job that wants to be the first to the top of Olympus Mons and the first to the bottom of the canyon?" Nick sighed. "It's legit; he is willing to pay a quarter of a billion for him and his wife to go."
"Are you serious?" Senator Friday asked.
Nick turned to the Senator and nodded. "Oh yes ma'am. And yes, we are seriously considering it. It would pay for a lot in the program."
She sniffed. "Not much."
Luigi smiled. "You'd be surprised ma'am. Now that we have the SSTO and Cyclers in the pipeline the cost per person has dropped to a half a million dollars after the launch."
She goggled at him. "Are you serious?"
He nodded. "Yes ma'am."
She sat back with a whistle. "You boys are doing wonders," she murmured. They smiled.
"We're trying ma'am. We’re going to give you the biggest bang for your buck."
She smiled. "You do that."
...*...*...*...*...
"The SSTO Mars shuttle will be landing on a cleared strip paved with duracrete. Hence the emphasis on making Mars concrete." Mario looked around the group then nodded.
"How does it take off? With that design, the engines are pointed up at an angle," an audience member asked. Now that the Treadwell's news had hit the mainstream there was sudden intent interest in the SSTO.
Mario nodded. "Right." He clicked the remote. "The team will build a launch runway complete with ski jump."
Someone tittered. "Oh come on, like that is possible."
Mario sighed as he clicked the remote. The image changed to a British harrier taking off of a ski jump on an aircraft carrier. "If I may continue?" He glared at the group. They rustled in the dark. "All right. As I was saying, the SSTO will have wheels, and land on the Martian soil. The first landing will be on this extremely flat area a little over twenty three kilometers from the base. As you can see, it is almost like Groom Lake. We have spotted only a minimum of debris on it. A few passes with a dozer should rectify that."
He clicked the remote again. On screen was a diagram of the shuttle landing and taking off. "We have a link to a simulator; it is in your notes. Check it out in your free time." He waved. "The biggest challenge will be the launch ramp. If we build the facility on the lake bed it will make it easier to do. If we build it closer to the base, it will take a great deal of time and energy. I am for the flat area, but some of the higher ups want a closer strip so they can use the bases facilities," he sighed.
"Both places have their plus and minus columns. The flat bed is available, reasonably flat and clean. But it has no area for shelter. We would have to scratch build something," he explained. He clicked the remote. "Both for the crew on the ground, and to protect the craft from the elements." He clicked the remote again. "On the other hand, closer to base we have to clear a site, level it, make and pour the duracrete, then shape it to what we want...and hope the shuttle doesn't land on the base if it has a problem." He looked over to the screen.
"Okay Mario, you made your point," Luigi sighed. Mario was obviously not a fan of putting a tower or base next to the air strip.
Mario looked up to see his brother in the doorway, arms crossed. The group turned to look at him, then back to Mario. Luigi had his head down. "We'll try it your way," Luigi sighed.
"Trust me Luigi, it will be worth it. A Transhab, some bricks, we can even locate a reactor there for power...." Mario held his hands apart.
"Okay okay. Get me the plan tonight." Luigi moved off. Mario tossed the remote up in the air and caught it.
"And that's why you never mess witha plumber now," he hammed the line. Several people laughed.
...*...*...*...*...
"Dad come 'ere and take a look at this! It's like wild!" The teenage not quite settled voice said. Jim winced. Billy was still hitting the high notes when he got excited. Puberty hadn't quite settled his voice yet.
Jim shook his head tapping at his laptop. "What is it Billy, can't you see I'm on deadline? I need to get my blog out or my editor is going to have me for breakfast."
Billy grabbed his arm. "Really dad, it is sweet!" Jim sighed. He knew his son; he wasn't going to get anything done until he checked. The wife had been onto him about spending more time with Billy anyway.
"Okay okay, let’s see," he said in exasperation. Hopefully it would be quick enough not to break his train of thought. The boy dragged him to his room.
Laughing he played tug of war with him. Inside were the usual prepubescent rats nest and his thirteen year old sister. "What your room trashed again? Been there, seen that, you better clean it."
Billy rolled his eyes. "No that!" He pointed to the game his sister wa
s playing.
"What is it? A mmo?" Jim leaned over his daughter's shoulder. He watched as she piloted a craft down then crashed it.
"Darn! I over corrected," she said in disgust, letting go of the controls. She sat back.
"My turn my turn!"
Jim looked over to Billy. "A flight simulator?"
Billy smirked. "Not just that dad, check this out." He clicked the mouse a few times and a Space program page came up. "See, MAV simulator, flight sim, Hab sim, Plasma jet sim, SSTO sim, that's what Lieandra was just playing. There is even an outdoor sim! Mondo cool right?" Billy asked as he looked up in earnest at his dad.
"Where did you find this?" Jim asked, now genuinely curious. Billy smiled. "You didn't," he accused. Jim looked at his son and crossed his arms.
"Just a power search dad, and okay, I cracked the server password. It was pretty lame, someone was stupid about it." He clicked on the outdoor sim. "Check this out!" He ran through the airlock, then out onto a Martian plane.
"Why haven't I heard about this?" Jim asked, standing straight and crossing his arms. He rubbed his chin in thought.
"I dunno. It has some bugs, but the graphics are better'n anything the eggheads have had," Billy replied. Billy's avatar bounced then climbed into a rover. "See?" He made his way into the cockpit then started driving. "I can even use virtual goggles if I had a pair." He glanced at his dad then back, rubbing in the usual complaint.
"Yeah yeah, maybe for Christmas son. Now you said it is in the Space program server? Send me a link." He waved as he left. "Oh and son, good work."
...*...*...*...*...
"Benny we are getting a lot of traffic on that sim server farm the boss set up. It is through the roof!" Julia grimaced as she a computer tech showed her a report.
"Ah, guys you better see this," Nick said, coming into the room.
"Wait a minute. What do you mean; traffic is up... is he running another math problem?" Julia shook her head.
"No really guys." Nick picked up the TV remote and turned on the corner TV. He flicked through the channels. A news report came up.
First Steps (Founding of the Federation) Page 11